April

While Mu Yang was training atop Karin Tower, on an island somewhere east of Earth...

Rat-a-tat-tat!

The sound of gunfire shattered the island's tranquility. More than a dozen speedboats patrolled around the island, each carrying fully armed troops dressed in khaki-gray uniforms. They looked like soldiers, yet also like bandits.

"Boss Lusha, the squad we sent out has returned. They still haven't found Claren's whereabouts," a soldier-like man reported to his superior after removing the wireless receiver from his ear.

The officer took a drag on his cigarette and exhaled a choking stream of white smoke. He shot the soldier a vicious glare and cursed, "If you can't find him, then send more men! The commander has given a death order: Claren must be found. Even if he's dead, bring back what's on him."

The soldier shuddered and hurriedly replied, "Yes, I'll immediately send more men onto the island."

"Then get out of here."

Officer Lusha waved his hand impatiently, then remained seated and continued puffing away.

"Commander Huai En is really something. He's just a minor researcher—what could he possibly have that's worth such a huge search...? Forget it. I'm only responsible for carrying out the mission. Those higher-ups' affairs aren't mine to worry about." Lusha crushed the cigar in his hand and reported the situation to headquarters.

What he received was an order from headquarters to find him at all costs.

"Heh, those officials only know how to give orders. Aren't we subordinates the ones who actually do the work?" After hanging up, Lusha spat darkly.

As a frontline commander of the Ophiuchus Legion, he had actually been forced to personally handle such a trivial mission. The thought made him deeply displeased.

At that moment, on the island, a blond-haired man crouched in a small grove with a child in his arms. If Mu Yang had been there, he would have recognized him as one of the young couples he had encountered on the train to Maple Leaf Island several months ago.

The child in his arms was the little girl named April.

There was a hole in Claren's chest, and crimson blood had already soaked through his shirt. "Cough, cough..." Claren hunched over as he coughed. Even that slight movement tugged at his lung injury, making him look extremely pained.

"Waaah... Daddy, are you okay? April misses Mommy and little sister." Tears welled in April's eyes as she pursed her lips and sobbed softly.

"Don't cry, April. Mommy and Cypriel will be fine." Claren wiped away April's tears, a trace of sorrow showing in his eyes. April raised her head. "But the boat we were on has already sunk. Mommy and little sister never came back up... Waaah... They're not coming back."

Claren's expression stiffened for a moment. He wanted to say something, but in the end, the words caught in his throat and would not come out.

Just then, the sounds of a search came from the grove. Claren quickly covered April's mouth. Only after the search party had gone far away did he make up his mind and stuff a thick stack of blueprints and three pitch-black stones into the small backpack on April's back.

"April, keep these things safe. They're Daddy's research materials." A flash of grief and indignation passed through Claren's eyes. If not for these things, perhaps his family would not have suffered such a disaster.

"Daddy!" April sensed something and called out uneasily.

Claren was a researcher at a comprehensive research institute, specializing in robotics. As for what exactly those three black stones were, even he did not know. He had stripped them from an extraterrestrial meteorite. Claren had never expected his research findings to attract the covetous eyes of high-ranking Ophiuchus Legion officials. Their cruise ship had been attacked during its voyage, and his wife and younger daughter had fallen into the sea and never reappeared. They were most likely dead.

He placed his palm over April's head. "Be good. There's a small cave over there. Hide inside it, and don't come out unless you hear me call."

"Mm." April murmured softly as tears slid down her face.

"Take this. It's your favorite candy. Eat one whenever you're sad, but make it last." Claren looked at his daughter, struggling to unwrap a piece of candy and place it in her mouth. Then he stuffed the jar of snacks he had kept for her into her little backpack.

After doing all that, Claren dragged his weakened body away.

"Remember, don't leave that cave for the next two days."

"Mm," April answered through her tears.

Claren gazed deeply at his daughter one last time, then turned and headed out of the grove. Only by drawing all the enemies away would April have even a sliver of hope of surviving.

After Claren left, another burst of gunfire echoed through the woods. The sky gradually darkened, and a thin mist rose among the trees.

April hid in the small cave and waited for her father to return. But after waiting two or three days, Claren still had not come back. Unable to endure the hunger any longer, April sadly ate a piece of candy, carefully closed the candy jar and put it back into her backpack, then dragged her frail body out of the cave.

The cold wind howled, frigid and steeped in faint sorrow as it swept farther and farther away. April hunched into herself and staggered toward the islanders' homes.